Complex Business, Business Torts and Contract Disputes

Massachusetts Business Dispute Lawyers

At Sweder & Ross, we thrive on successfully resolving, through verdict or settlement, the most complex and difficult disputes for our clients.

We are known as one of the premier business litigation boutique firms in Boston, New England and across the nation.

Just a few examples of such business disputes are set forth below.

Some Cases in Point*

Our attorneys defended the controlling shareholders and business in one of Boston's most high-profile family shareholder disputes. The action, involving a renowned restaurant chain, was favorably resolved for the clients on the eve of trial. In this litigation, we created a rarely used in Massachusetts Special Litigation Committee. The findings of that Committee enabled the dismissal of several claims and paved the way for the beneficial settlement.

Our attorneys defended the owner of one of Boston’s best-known furniture chains in an action by a bankruptcy trustee who claimed fraud, misappropriation and violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Not only did the court grant a motion to dismiss, but it also awarded in excess of $50,000 against the trustee for having brought a frivolous action, making it one of the largest such sanctions ever awarded in the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts.

Our real estate litigators prevailed in a case designated by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court as a “case of first impression”: Perroncello v. Donahue, 448 Mass. 199 (2007). When our client signed a purchase and sale agreement to buy property in Boston for $2.25 million, a dispute arose as to whether our client had breached the agreement and could be compelled to specifically perform the agreement and, in addition, pay liquidated damages to the seller.

Sweder & Ross lawyers represented one of the country’s largest coal companies in a $100 million claim for indemnification under the Coal Act of 1992. The case involved complex issues ranging from the constitutionality of the Coal Act to merger and acquisitions and contract law. After portions of the case were litigated in the United States District Court, the First Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court, a favorable settlement was obtained for the client.

Sweder & Ross co-counseled with a workers' compensation attorney to obtain the largest workers' compensation damage amount known to have been awarded in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: in excess of $4 million.

*The results obtained in these cases were dependent on the specific facts of each case. These results are presented for informational purposes only and should not be considered a guarantee that we can obtain similar results for you.